The present invention relates to optical conductor systems and, more particularly, to an apparatus for unidirectional coupling of optical signals from one conductor to another conductor in which the one conductor may be rotating with respect to the another conductor.
Various methods have been implemented for coupling optical conductors in end-to-end relationship and are well known in the art. A more difficult problem arises when it is desired to couple conductors in which one conductor rotates with respect to the other conductor and in which multiple conductors are coupled. U.S. Pat. No. 4,447,114 describes one form of optical coupling mechanism for multiple optical conductors. Another form of rotary optical coupler is shown in European Patent Application No. 0488205A2. Both of these disclosed couplers require complicated optical and mechanical systems and both have relatively high internal losses.